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Road pricing for bikes to start with trials in 2008

Road pricing trials will see motorcycles carry electronic tags to track their movements from 2008.

Motorcyclists will be among over 1000 volunteer road users taking part in tests of the technology which will be used from 2012, and it's prompted concern that compulsory tags could become a reality for UK motorcyclists within five years.

The trials begin in March and include 'tag and beacon' detection, which has roadside beacons detecting signals from tags in passing vehicles, alongside trials similar to London's congestion charging scgeme, with users expected to declare travelling in a congestion zone, and automatic number plate recognition cameras used to catch those who don't pay.

You can read the Government's full 48-page road pricing trial plans by clicking here to download it as a PDF, and in MCN today, Wednesday June 6, 2007, you can read the views of Transport secretary Douglas Alexander, Shadow transport minister Owen Paterson, Transport for London, and riders group RiderConnect.